Bloody Monday – Episode 5 (Review)

SUMMARY
Maya brings Falcon into crowded cafe, promising to reunite him with his missing father if he’ll just have a sit-down with the terrorist group’s leader, codenamed “J” (Hiroki Narimiya). J talks in ultra-cool whispers and sips melon sodas as he gives a sales pitch to Falcon: “Bloody Monday’s gonna happen no matter what. Join us, and no one you love will die.”

Falcon turns the tables and reveals THIRD-i has been tracking him, and they’re about to close in. J is going down easy, and he hands Falcon the phone, demanding to speak to THIRD-i. J offers to hand over the Bloody X cure for Kirishima’s fiancée in exchange for a getaway, but Kirishima orders his strike team to advance despite his internal conflict.

Hiroki Narimiya as J

J’s group grabs some cafe hostages and manages to escape, leaving a single henchman to distract the agents in a frenzied shootout. The henchman goes down with an ominous threat: The final Monday is coming. Back at THIRD-i, Falcon doesn’t understand why Kirishima didn’t take the deal, but Kano breaks it down for him, putting things in a perspective that Falcon’s youth can’t grasp.

Kirishima confides in Kano

Takagi, Falcon’s father, rejoins the terrorists at their hideout, reminding them that his cooperation hinges on protecting his daughter, Haruka. He’s been sending Haruka secret phone messages, and arranges to meet at a net cafe. Falcon intercepts the message and goes to find his father, tracking the message to a nearby stall in the same net cafe. Falcon just misses catching his dad, but finds a clue leading him to a remote bicochemical lab. Falcon’s school friends Otoya and Aoi insist on joining him, as he races to confront his father before THIRD-i catches up..

Falcon’s best friend, Otoya (Takeru Sato)

WHAT’S CUTE
Haruka confesses her schoolgirl crush on Otoya as she packs her things to move to Otoya’s house for safety. What teenage girl wouldn’t want a sleepover at Takeru Sato’s house?

WHAT’S TOTALLY BORING
Lazy villains who talk slow, move slow, and say ambiguous things instead of taking action. Right now the coolest cat on screen is Yutaka Matsushige as Kano. He’s the guy I want on my anti-terrorist team, and I’m hoping he gets a chance to really let loose on some bad guys.